Shocker
: "Now you're the Shocker." : - Adrian Toomes Herman Schultz is a former salvage worker who had become a professional criminal and one of the key members of Adrian Toomes' Crew who had sold alien-human hybrid weaponry created by the Tinkerer. As Toomes had murdered his former crewmate Jackson Brice, who had used a modified gauntlet occasionally under the alias of Shocker, Toomes passed the gauntlet down to Schultz and then appointed him as the new Shocker. With his new title and power of the gauntlet, Schultz continued to aid Toomes with fighting Spider-Man's attempts to stop all their black market arms deals, eventually resulting in the Shocker being defeated during a fight. Following Toomes' arrest, Schultz went on the run. Biography Bestman Salvage Battle of New York Cleanup In 2012, Schultz was employed to work for the Bestman Salvage where he was employed by Adrian Toomes. During his career, Schultz helped during the clean up in the wake of the recent Battle of New York, during which Schultz had attempted to take apart one of the crashed Chitarui Chariots only for Toomes to recommend that he instead use a Chitauri Staff to cut through it, noting that the alien metal was too tough for normal human tools before leaving Schultz to continue the work on the crashed Chariot. As Schultz got back to work, Jackson Brice finally arrived to work, leading to Toomes berating him before ordering him to join Schultz in the work. During all of their work however, Damage Control suddenly arrived onto the scene and Anne Marie Hoag informed Toomes that they had lost their contract to clean up the city. As Schultz watched on, Toomes attempted to argue for them to stay, noting that they had families, however it was hopeless and they were told to leave. As Damage Control had taken over the clean-up contracts under the orders of Tony Stark, Schultz and all the other members of Toomes' crew discussed how the Avengers were profiting on their own chaos while they lost work. Schultz turned to a life of crime alongside his co-workers. He, alongside Jackson Brice, would act as arms dealers, selling all of the tech such as the broken Ultron Sentries, anti-gravity climbers and Black Hole Grenades among other technologies. Weapon Dealing Encounter with Spider-Man Herman Schultz and Jackson Brice met Aaron Davis in the outskirts of Queens where Brice enthusiastically demonstrated the Ultron Blaster Gun, straight out of Sokovia. Davis was wary, noting that he wanted a small device for mugging. As Schultz spoke with Davis, Brice offered alternatives, including Black Hole Grenades, Taser Rods and an Anti-Gravity Climber, which Davis took some interest in. When the trio heard a ringtone suddenly go off, Schultz and Brice immediately assumed that Davis had set them up. As they pulled their guns on him, Spider-Man appeared, telling the arms dealers to shoot him instead, which Schultz agreed to do without a second thought. As Davis made a retreat, Schultz opened fire on the young vigilante and Brice put on Shocker's Gauntlet. As Brice dealt with Spider-Man, Schultz then started the van and drove away. While Spider-Man used his Web-Shooters and swung after the two, Brice activated several weapons, shooting at the web-slinger and causing damage to the van and the street. When Brice accidentally dropped one of the guns when Spider-Man snagged the van doors, this caused Brice to suggest calling Adrian Toomes for assistance, which Schultz did. With the Vulture showing up and then successfully dealing with Spider-Man, Schultz and Brice made their getaway. Schultz and Jackson Brice managed to get back to their base with Brice being thrilled with the chase, only to be confronted by Adrian Toomes while Schultz stayed in the background. As the argument with Brice and Toomes escalated, Toomes told Brice that he was now fired. Disgusted, Brice then threatened Toomes, saying that he would inform the authorities about their operation. Brice then asked what would happen if he told Doris Toomes about his business. This was a step to far for Toomes, who promptly picked up a gun and shot Brice instantly vaporising him and leaving Schultz staring at his friend's ashes. Confused and shocked about his actions, he asked the Tinkerer if he had just picked up a Anti-Gravity Gun, only to have picked up the Chitauri Gun instead. Toomes walked over to Brice's ashes and picked up the Shocker's Gauntlet and gave it to Schultz, sarcastically telling him that he was the 'Shocker' now. Tracking the Energy Source The next day, Schultz took scanner and set out with Randy Vale to locate the Chitauri Energy Core that was lost during the car chase last night, eventually tracking the power source to the Midtown School of Science and Technology. Looking through the workshop room where his scanner told him was where the energy source had been activated. Vale noted that if the device had been there it had already been taken away so Schultz decided that it was time for them to leave, however as he turned around, Schultz thought he had heard a noise and saw a chair wobbling in the back. Checking the sound for anyone, Schultz is unknowingly tagged with a Spider-Tracer. Believing that finding the weapon was a lost cause, Schultz left and headed towards Maryland in order to get ready for their incoming robbery alongside Vale Attack on the Damage Control Truck Several days later, Adrian Toomes' Crew received a tip that a truck full of confiscated technology was heading to the Damage Control Deep Storage Vault by the way of Maryland. Sitting in a van with Phineas Mason, Schultz discussed how Damage Control were still cleaning up all the mess caused by the Battle at the Triskelion, with Schultz noting that the more damage the Avengers caused, the easier they all got rich. Schultz prepared to get out of the van at one point, only for Mason to note that he had to put the dampeners on Shocker's Gauntlet or he would be at risk of shattering his arm from all the force. Schultz then oversaw the heist as Vulture used the Matter Phase Shifter to get into the van before Spider-Man showed up and stool the weapons away from the Vulture, causing Vulture to quickly escape, leaving his stolen technology behind and trapping Spider-Man inside the van. Back inside their Headquarters, Schultz continued practicing with his new Gauntlet, using it to punch a van while Adrian Toomes was still fuming over the recent loss of the technology. The Tinkerer offered once again to upgrade Vulture's Exo-Suit with the new high-altitude vacuum seal, so they could go pull off an airborne heist against the Stark Cargo Plane, however Toomes turned Mason down, fearing the job where they would go against the Avengers would be too risky. Asking if they still had enough Chitauri technology ready to sell their weapons to Mac Gargan onboard the Staten Island Ferry in a few days, Mason conformed this but Toomes remained nervous. Toomes began muttering that it was all Spider-Man's fault and he would kill him for interfering with his business. Schultz, overhearing, pointed at the television, which was broadcasting the Rescue at the Washington Monument, including Spider-Man saving Toomes' daughter. Ambush at the Staten Island Ferry The next day, Herman Schultz and Adrian Toomes made their way on the Staten Island Ferry to sell all their Chitauri and Ultron weapons to their latest buyer, Mac Gargan. Schultz and Toomes sat with their backs facing each other to avoid suspion as Toomes informed Schultz that Gargan was waiting on the main deck for them. Despite noting that he still hated Gargan, Schultz then left Toomes dealt with Gargan, promising to tell Toomes if anything went wrong. Meeting him at the front of the boat, Schultz told Gargan that the technology was being stored in a white van which Randy Vale was waiting in. Schultz stayed with Gargan as a man spoke with Vale and examined all of the weapons while Schultz discussed their deal with Gargan. However just as Schultz prepared to hand over the van keys to Gargan, Spider-Man suddenly showed up and took the keys with his Web-Shooters, soon dispatching Gargan and his associates. Schultz radioed Toomes to tell him that Spider-Man had interrupted the deal while he put on the Shocker Gauntlet, charging Spider-Man while swinging the weapon, only for the web-slinger to dodge at the last minute, causing his gauntlet to become embedded in the boat's railing. Spider-Man quickly webbed Schultz to the railing to prevent his escape, while noting that Jackson Brice had been much better using the gauntlet than Schultz, claiming to be shocked. While Schultz was unable to move, the FBI, who had set up a sting operation, showed up to arrest both Gargan and Schultz, only to be attacked by Toomes, who had donned his Vulture Exo-Suit and had also grabbed a Chitauri Gun in order to fight back against Spider-Man and the FBI. Freeing Schultz from all his webbing restraints by shooting the railing, Vulture then told him to get off the ferry as they were retreating before they could be arrested by the FBI. Avoiding being webbed up by Spider-Man again, Schultz raced onto the top of the ferry, as the Chitauri Gun was violently malfunctioning, causing it to fire several lasers that cut the ferry in half. Seeing his opening, Vulture then flew to the top of the ferry, where Schultz was waiting for him. Schultz jumped from the railing on top of the ferry, to land aboard Vulture's wings as Vulture took off, flying away from the battle just before Iron Man could show up and save the day. One Last Job Back inside their Headquarters, Schultz decided enough was enough and packed his things, becoming concerned that Adrian Toomes' Crew's activities would soon be exposed and he would be arrested soon, as the FBI would have captured him at the ferry if not for Spider-Man's interference, as Schultz recommended to Adrian Toomes that he should also make his own escape while he still could. Noting that he could not stop his criminal ways due to still having to care for his wife and daughter, Toomes managed to convince Schultz to stay on by ordering the Tinkerer to complete his work on a new high-altitude vacuum seal for Vulture's Exo-Suit so they could pull off one last job, the hijacking the Stark Cargo Plane in order to steal all of the Stark Industries and Iron Man technology that would then be getting transported from the Avengers Tower by the next day. Ambush on Peter Parker On the night of the heist, Shocker was called by Adrian Toomes, who had figured out the Spider-Man's secret identity. Shocker was told to head to the Midtown School of Science and Technology and wait to see if Spider-Man would appear to chase after Toomes. As Spider-Man appeared, Shocker attacked, striking Spider-Man and knocking him back. With a powerful strike, Shocker smashed Spider-Man into a school bus, causing him to drop his Web-Shooters as he was attempting to get them on to follow the Vulture and stop his heist. Shocker mocked Spider-Man on making the wrong choice in following Vulture before he remarked on Spider-Man's homemade costume before punching him again with some incredible force, sending him straight through a school bus windshield and back through the other side. Spider-Man questioned why the Shocker had been sent after him, but Shocker did not answer. As Shocker prepared to deliver the final blow, a web fired by Ned Leeds managed to snag onto Shocker's Gauntlet, distracting Shocker long enough for Spider-Man to web him to the side of a bus. Shocker was discovered by the students who took pictures of him and the New York City Police Department arrested him. Months later, Schultz was placed on parole and he went into hiding. Powers and Abilities Powers * Shock Emission: Using his specialised gauntlet, Schultz can generate and release powerful blasts of electric shocks that, when used on a human being, can propel them a great distance away and also subdue them. * Enhanced Strength: The gauntlet possesses hydraulic functions that grant Schultz superhuman strength. They boost his physical attributes enough that he can propel school buses away and even combat enhanced individuals. Abilities * Combatant: Schultz shows decent skill in combat, able to gain the upper hand against Spider-Man in their second fight outside Midtown School of Science and Technology, albeit with the element of surprise, but was quickly subdued afterwards due to Ned Leeds intervention. Equipment Weapons * Shocker's Gauntlet: Schultz inherited the powerful modified version of Crossbones' Gauntlet from Jackson Brice that, when fired, was able to generate energy blasts that can push heavy objects. His gauntlet can inflict blunt force trauma if the blasts are aimed at a living target. * Glock 19: Schultz carried this handgun during a meeting Aaron Davis in order to sell him some weapons. As he heard a ringing phone, he drew his gun in order to threaten Davis, believing they had set them up. Spider-Man quickly revealed himself, taunting Schultz to shoot at him, and quickly disarming him before he had the chance. * SIG Sauer P229: Schultz carried this handgun while investigating the missing Chitauri Energy Core, tracking its signal to Midtown School of Science and Technology. However, he was unable to find anything. Relationships Category:Characters Category:Humans Category:Villains Category:Criminals Category:Bestman Salvage Employees Category:Adrian Toomes' Crew Members Category:Sinister Six Members